Switch operating means



March 14, 1961 R. J. BERTLING 2,974,540

SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 v INVENTOR.

HanaZd J 567165279 E BY 1/7 zarrzqy March 14, 1961 R. J. BERTLING2,974,540

SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Sept. 23, 1959 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 IN VEN TOR.Ronald J fiartzzn BY fittorne y 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Ronald BY hed March 14,1961 R. J. BERTLING SWITCH OPERATING MEANS Filed Sept. 25, 1959 SWITCHUPERATING MEANS Ronald J. Bertling, South Milwaukee, Wis., assignor toMcGraw-Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware FiledSept. 23, 1959, 56!. No. senses 3 Claims. oi. 74-425 This inventionrelates to electrical switches and more particularly to a mechanism formanually operating electric switches or other devices from a remotelocation.

In electric power systems electric switches are frequently mounted aconsiderable height above the ground on wooden poles or other structureswhich support electrically live conductors at safe distances abovetraversed areas. To avoid having a lineman ascend the switch supportingstructure when he desires to perform-a switch opening or closingoperation, an elongated rotatable switch operating shaft is coupled tothe switch and extends to a point accessiblev at ground level. Incertain larger types of switching installations a considerable amount oftorque is required to rotate the shaft and move the switch contacts totheir open or closed positions. in such installations, gear reductionmechanisms are required in order to enable the opera-tor to operate theswitch manually.

Prior art gear reduction mechanisms'were provided with a cup shapeddrivingmandrel for receiving theend .of the switch operating shaft. As aresult, the shafts utilized with such'devices had to be cut toa-predetermined sizeprior to their connectionto the gearreductionrnechanism. This was aggravated by the'fact that the locationof disconnect switches-in any particular substation depends upon thedesign of the substation and generally varies between .diiterentinstallations.

In addition, it is generally desirable for safety and convenience, thatall the operating mechanisms in a particular substation or system bedesigned to open their associated switches upon rotation in .agivendirection even though the directionofswitch operating shaftrotation required to open various switches may be different. Withcertain prior art gear reduction apparatus the reversal of outputrotation could-not be achieved without complete disassembly. t

:It is. an object oftheinventionto provide agear reduction mechanism,-for disconnect switches which may .be mounted at artyvverticallocation .relativeto the switch Without regard .to1,the length,ofthe switch shaft.

Zl'tlis another object of theinvention toprovidefa gear reductionmechanism in which the direction of output shaft rotation may easily bereversed for any given directionof handle rotation.

It is a-furtherobject ofthe invention to provide a-gear reductionmechanism with a self-locldngcranking handlewhich cannot becomedisengagedrfrom the inputshaft during rapid cranking operations.

- :It is yetanother objectof .thefiinvention toprovide a gearreductionrnechanisma'for disconnect switches having adjustablestop meanswhichnprevents overcranking of the I switch shaft and allowswideflcxibility in the angle of rotation.

Qther objects of'the invention become apparent 7 and Fig. 7 is a viewtaken along line 7-.7 of Fig. 5.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail-Fig. 1 shows the gearreduction mechanism 10 according to the instant invention disposed in ahousing 11 which is secured to a portion 12 of the substationsuperstructure by bolts 13. For purposes of illustration the mechanismis shown coupled to a rotating insulator, vertical air break switch 14suitably mounted in vertical spaced relation above it on a horizontalsuperstructure cross member 15. The details of the particular air breakswitch illustrated in the drawing, are discussed in Patent No.2,830,l,44, assigned to the assignee of the instant invention and-formno part of the invention disclosed herein. It will suifice for thepurposes of this disclosure to state that upon rotation of the centerinsulator 16 in a first directionmovable contact blade 18 will berotated out ofengagement with fixed contacts 20. Conversely, uponrotation of insulator 16 in anopposite direction switch blade 18 will berotated into closed position as shown in Fig. 1. A vertical shaft 22connects rotatable insulator io to the gear reduction mechanism it? sothat rotation of operating handle 24 in a'first direction willopendisconnect switch 14 and subsequent rotation in the oppositedirection will reclose said switch.

Referring now specifically to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, the' gear reductionmechanism according to the invention is shown to be coupled to the'switch shaft 22 by means of a driving clamp 26 and includes a drivingmandrel 28 for transmitting power from a gear 3d and a pinion 32 to thedriving clamp 26. Pinion 32 is rotated manually byan operating handle-34. An adjustable stop assembly 35 is provided to limit the amount ofshaft rotation to a me scribed angle:

and '40 respectively disposed in opposed relation on opposite sides ofthe switch shaft 22. A pair of clamping portions 42 and 42 extendtangentially from each of the clamping heads 37 and 37 which are securedby bolts 44 which extend through aligned openings in portions 42 and 42and each of which carries a head 45 at one end for embracing the outersurface of one clamping head and which threadably receives a nut 46 atits other. It can be seen that by tightening nuts 46 the clamping heads37 and 37' will be forced together thereby embracing switch shaft 22 ina compressive relation betweensurfaces 40 and 4h. Each of the clampingheads 37 and extend through radial threaded openings in each oftheclamping heads and whose inner ends are forced through the surface ofthe switch shaft 22.

As shown in Figs. 3 and ithe body portions 38 and 38' of clamp members36 and 36' are each provided with'a radially extending driving lug. 5tand 50 which are disposed in a pair of matching recesses 52 and 5 2formed in the interior of the driving mandrehzfi and 7 Patented Mar. 14,1961.

- receives shaft 56 of the pinion 32.

3 near its upper end. It can thus be seen upon rotation of drivingmandrel 28, recesses 52 and 52 engage lugs 50 and 50' respectively torotate the clamping head 26 and thus the switch shaft 22.

Disposed at the right side of the housing 11 as viewed in Fig. 4 is apinion bearing assembly 54 which rotatably The bearing assembly 54 is ofthe roller type and allows rotation of pinion 32 with a minimum offrictional drag.

The illustrated gear 30 and pinion 32 are of the Spiroid type althoughit will be understood that any suitable gear may be utilized. Gear 30 ismechanically coupled to driving mandrel 28 by means of a pair of keys 58residing in opposed keyways 60 and 62 disposed in each of the oppositesides of the driving mandrel 28 and the gear 30 respectively.

The driving mandrel 28 is rotatably supported in housing 11 by means ofupper and lower ball bearing assemblies 64 and 66 respectively. Anannular outer face 68 and 69 for each of the bearing assemblies 64 and66 respectively is disposed in suitably formed inwardly extendingcontinuous flange portions 70 and 71 integrally formed at the upper andlower ends of the housing 11 and which surround the switch shaft 22. Theinner race 72 of the upper ball bearing assembly 64 is integral with theouter surface of driving mandrel 28 near its upper end and is formed bythe junction of the surfaces of an outwardly extending flange portion 74and the outer surface of the main body of the driving mandrel itself. Acylindrical sleeve member 75, telescopically engaging the drivingmandrel 28 at its lower end, and having an outwardly extending annularflange 76, forms the inner race 78 for the lower ball bearing assembly66.

The lower end of driving mandrel 28 is provided with a threaded portion80 for receiving a locknut 82 and a lockwasher 84 which supports thegear 30 and secures the ball bearing assemblies 64 and 66.

The adjustable stop assembly is shown in Fig. 6 to include first andsecond stop rings 86 and 87 respectively. The upper surface of theflange 74 on driving mandrel 28 is provided with serrations 88 whichcooperatively engage matching serrations 89 in the lower surface of afirst stop ring 86. Similarly, the upper surface of stop ring 86 isprovided with serrations 90 for cooperatively engaging matchingserrations 92 on the lower surface of a second stop ring 87. Each of thestop rings 86 and 87 is provided with an outwardly extending enlargedstop portion 96 and 98 respectively for cooperatively engaging anupwardly extending stop 100 integral with the upper end of the housing11 thereby limiting the driving mandrels angle of rotation.

In assembly the first stop ring 86 is placed on flange 74 with enlargedportion 96 disposed at a first prescribed angle relative to stop 100.and with serrations 88 and S9 in meshing engagement. Similarly thesecond stop ring 87 is placed on the first stop ring 86 with enlargedportion 98 disposed at a second prescribed angle relative to stop 100and with serration 90 and 92 in engagement. A retaining ring 102 is thenplaced over the upper side of stop ring 87 and the assembly is securedby bolts 103 (only one of which is shownin Fig. 6). Serrations 105 onthe upper surface of stop ring 87 are not utilized but are shown in thedrawings to illustrate that stop rings 86 and 87 are identical althoughthe latter is reversed relative to the former so that stop portion 96extends upwardly while stop portion 98 extends downwardly.

It can thus be seen that a rigid connection is achieved between drivingmandrel 28 and stop portions 96 and 98 so that clockwise rotation ofdriving mandrel 28, as viewed in Fig. 4, is limited by the stop portion98 while clockwise rotation thereof is limited by stop portion 96. If itis desired to change the driving mandrels angle of rotation in eitherdirection, stop rings 86 and 87 are merely removed and replaced withstops 96 and 98 in the proper positions relative to stop 100 to providethe desired angle of rotation. Hence, because of the wide range ofangles available with the adjustable stop assembly 35 the gear reductionmechanism according to the instant invention can be adapted to a largevariety and types of switches. Also, it can be seen that :by adjustingthe angle of rotation of the switch shaft 22 in both the switch openingand closing directions, overcranking of the switch by the operator isprevented.

As seen in Fig. 3 driving mandrel 28 has an axial bore 101 extendingtherethrough which increases the devices flexibility in two importantrespects. First, this allows the gear reduction mechanism according tothe invention to be located at any vertical location relative to theswitch 14 without regard to the length of the switch shaft 22. This isillustrated in Fig. 2 wherein full lines show the gear reductionmechanism 10 located on a first cross piece 12 adjacent the end of theswitch shaft 22. If it is desired, however, to move gear box mechanism10 to a second superstructure member 12 located intermediate the ends ofthe switch shaft 22, bolts 13 are removed, nuts 46 are loosened and theself-piercing set screws 48 are rotated out of engagement with theswitch shaft 22. This frees the assembly for vertical movement relativeto switch 14 to a second superstructure member 12', whereupon bolts 13and nuts 46 are retightened and self-piercing set screws are againforced into the switch shaft 22 at this new location.

Another important advantage of the mechanism over prior art devices isillustrated by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. In Fig. 2, it can be seenthat clockwise rotation of switch handle 24 produces clockwise rotationin switch shaft 22 and rotatable insulator 16. In Fig. 1, on the otherhand, it can be seen that clockwise rotation of handle 24 produces acounterclockwise rotation of switch shaft rotatable insulator 16. Thisreversal of direction in switch shaft rotation for any given directionof handle rotation is achieved by assembling the device with the housing11, the gear 30, and pinion 32 in a reversed position with respect tothat shown in Fig. 3. In other words, the housing 11, the gear 30, andthe pinion 32 are turned upside down from their position shown in Fig. 3and then reassembled on the driving mandrel so that the gear 30 isupside down. This allows the direction of mandrel and, hence, switchshaft rotation to be reversed for any given direction of handlerotation. In this manner, uniformity of handle rotation for opening andclosing of switches in any particular substation may be achieved eventhough the direction of shaft rotation necessary to operate varioustypes of switches may be different. As a result, inadvertent opening orclosing of switches by rotating of the handle in a wrong direction issubstantially minimized. When the housing 11 is in this reversedposition, a second stop member shown at the lower end of said housing inFig. 3, is in position to be engaged by stop portions 96 and 98.

It has been found that when the disconnect switch 14 is coated with ice,rapid handle rotation is necessary in order to generate sufficient speedto break the ice and thereby close or open the switch. For this reason,handle 24 is provided with a resilient retaining clip 104 to prevent thehandle from flying off" and striking the operator during such rapidoperations. Referring now to Fig. 4, switch handle 34 is shown to beprovided with a socket 106 near one end for engaging the end of thepinion shaft 56 and a hub 108 having an axial bore 110 in registry withsocket 106. A first portion of the retaining clip 104 is disposedbetween the end of the switch handle 34 and hub 108 and has an opening111 in alignment with bore 110 to allow the end of pinion shaft 56 topass through. A plurality of screws 112 which pass through suitablythreaded openings in the end of the switch handle 34 and hub 108, securesaid hub and retainingclip 104 in position. As shown in Fig. 4,retaining'clip 104 is bent back upon itself at a point adjacent the endof the handle 34 and toward the pinion shaft 56 to form a rearwardlyextending portionllit which includes a second opening 114 for receivingpinion shaft 56 at a point beyond the end of hub 108 and whichterminates in a finger tab 116. When it is desired to place handle 34 onpinion shaft 56, finger tab 116 is depressed to the dotted positionshown in Fig. 4 to place opening 114 in substantial registry with bore110 of hub 108 and the assembly is placed on shaft 56. When the handleis in position, finger tab 116 is released and the resiliency of member1524 returnsportion 113 to its full position shown in Fig. 4 wherein theupper and lower. edges of opening 114 are forced into tight compressiverelation with pinion shaft 156. As a result, handle 34 is locked to theend of pinion shaft 56 until finger tab 116 is again depressed whereuponsaid handle may be removed.

As seen in Figs. 5 and 7 handle 34 is provided with an aperture 118adjacent the hand grip 119 having a configuration similar to that of theend of the pinion shaft 56. This allows handle 34 to be placed in astorage position, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 5, with the end ofpinion shaft 5d in aperture 118 and with a second elongated aperture 120adjacent hub 108 disposed over a locking car 122 integral with the sideof the housing 11. It can be seen that when the handle is in its storedposition, accidental rotation of the pinion shaft 56 is impossible sothat the switch can neither he accidentally opened or closed withoutremoval of the handle from its stored position. Locking ear 122 may beprovided with an aperture for receiving a conventional padlock 123 sothat removal of handle 34' and operation of the switch by unauthorizedpersons may be prevented.

While only a single embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed, it is intended to cover in the appended claims allmodifications which fall within the true spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. An operating mechanism for an electric switch provided with anactuating shaft, said operating mechanism having a housing'and drivingmeans rotatably mounted therein, stop means rigidly secured to saidhousing, said driving means having a first indexing means, a first stopring having second and third indexing means and a radially extendingstop portion, a second stop ring having a radially extending stopportion and a fourth indexing means, said first and second indexingmeans and said third and fourth indexing means being releasablyengageable to position, each of said stop rings in one of a plurality ofpositions relative to said stop means so that said rings and said stopportions are rotatable with said driving means, said stop means lying inthe path of said stop portions so that the angle that said driving meansis free to rotate in either direction is limited to a prescribed valuepredetermined by the angular positions of said stop rings.

2. An operating mechanism for an electric switch provided with anactuating shaft, said operating mechanism having a housing and drivingmeans rotatably mounted therein, said driving means having a serratedsurface substantially normal to its axis of rotation, a first stop ringhaving serrations on each of its opposite faces and a radially extendingstop portion, one of said serrated faces meshingly engaging saidserrated surface, a second stop ring having a radially extending stopportion and at least one serrated face meshingly engaging the otherserrated face of said first stop ring whereby said first and second stoprings and said step portions are rotatable with said driving means, stopmeans rigidly secured to said housing and lying in the path of said stopportions so that the angle that said driving means is free to rotate ineither direction is limited to a predetermined value, and means forrigidly connecting said driving means to said actuating shaft. 7

3. An operating mechanism for an electric switch provided with'anactuating shaft, said mechanism including 6 a housing having a pair ofapertures formed in substantially opposite sides thereof for receivingsaid actuating shaft and bearing means substantially coaxial with saidopening, a driving mandrel, a first holding means for releasablysecuring said driving mandrel for rotation in said bearing means, saiddriving mandrel having an axial bore therethrough for slidably receivingsaid actuating shaft, means for releasably connecting said drivingmandrel to said actuating shaft so that rotation of said driving mandrelin a first direction will operate said switch toward open position androtation thereof in an opposite direction will operate said switchtoward closed position, reversible gear reduction means including afirst gear means disposed within said housing and surrounding saiddriving mandrel and a second gear means meshingly engaging said firstgear means and including a driving shaft rotatably mounted in saidhousing, and a second holding means for releasably securing said firstgear means to said driving mandrel so that rotation of said drivingshaft in one direction will turn said driving mandrel in its firstdirection, said housing and said first gear means being reversiblerelative to said driving mandrel upon the release of said first andsecond holding means so that said actuating shaft extends through theother. of said apertures and said driving mandrel rotates in itsopposit'e direction upon rotation of said driving shaft in said onedirection.

4. An operating mechanism for an electric switch operable upon rotationof an actuating shaft connected thereto, said mechanism including ahousing having a pair of apertures formed in substantially oppositesides thereof for receiving said actuating shaft, a driving mandrelrotatably mounted in said housing in a substantially coaxial relationrelative to said apertures, a first releasable holding means forsecuring said driving mandrel in said housing, said driving mandrelhaving an axial bore therethrough for slidably receiving said actuatingshaft through one of said apertures and being releasably connected tosaid actuating shaft so that rotation of said driving mandrel in a firstdirection will operate said switch toward open position and rotationthereof in an opposite direction will operate said switch toward closedposition, reversible gear reduction means disposed Within said housingand including rotatable driving shaft means, and releasable holdingmeans for operatively connecting said gear reduction means to saiddriving mandrel so that rotation of said driving shaft means in onedirection will turn said driving mandrel in its first direction, saidhousing and said gear reduction means being reversible relative to saiddriving mandrel and said switch shaft upon the release of said first andsecond holding means so that said actuating shaft extends. through theother of said apertures and said driving mandrel rotates in its oppositedirection upon rotation of said driving shaft means in said onedirection.

5. An operating mechanism for an electric switch having an actuatingshaft, said mechanism including a housing, a driving mandrel operativelyconnected to said actuating shaft, a first holding means for releasablysecuring said driving mandrel for rotation in said housing, a reversiblegear reduction means including a first and second gear means in meshingengagement, a second holding means for releasably connecting said firstgear means to said driving mandrel so that rotation of said second gearmeans in a first direction will operate said driving mandrel and saidactuating shaft in a switch closing direction and rotation thereof in asecond direction will operate said driving mandrel and said actuatingshaft in a switch opening direction, said housing and said gearreduction means being reversible relative to said driving mandrel uponthe release of said first and second holde ing means so that rotation ofsaid second gear means in its first direction will rotate said drivingmandrel in a switch opening direction.

6. A gear reduction mechanism for an electric switch having an actuatingshaft, said mechanism including driving mandrel means securable to saidshaft means, means including a shaft for rotating said driving means toop erate said switch, a handle for said shaft having a socket slidablyengageable with said shaft to form a driving connection therewith, asubstantially V-shaped spring clip 'rneans having a pair of normallynon-parallel legs, one

of said legs being secured to said handle and having an opening formedtherein and disposed in substantial registry with said socket, saidother leg having an opening formed therein whose axis is normallyinclined relative to the opening in said one leg, said other leg beingmovable toward parallelism with said first leg in opposition to theresiliency of spring clip means to move the opening therein towardcoaxiality with the opening in said first leg so that said openings areslidable over said shaft, release of said other leg for movement towardits normal position under the influence of said resiliency causing theedges of its opening to engage the sides of said shaft therebypreventing axial movement of said socket relative to said shaft.

7. An operating mechanism having a housing and driving means rotatablymounted therein, stop means rigidly secured to said housing, saiddriving means having a first indexing means, first and second stopmembers each having indexing means and a stop portion extendingtherefrom, the indexing means on said first and second a stop membersbeing releasably engageable with said first of Said stop portions sothat the angle that said driving means is free to rotate in eitherdirection is limited to a prescribed value determined by the position ofsaid stop members.

8. An operating mechanism including driving means and means'including ashaft for rotating said driving means, a removable handle for saidshaft, socket means formed in said handle and having an opening forreceiving said shaft to form a driving connection therewith, spring clipmeans having a pair of normally nonparallel legs, one of said legs beingsecured to the handle adjacent said socket, said other leg having anaperture formed therein whose axis is normally inclined relative to theopening in said socket, said other leg being movable toward parallelismwith said first leg in opposition to the resiliency of said spring clipmeans References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,605,978 Oxer Nov. 9, 1926 2,023,752 Thieme Dec. 10, 1935 2,498,957Jordan Feb. 28, 1950 2,529,597 Doth Nov. 14, 1950 2,581,123 Merkle Jan.1, 1952 2,724,283 Kuboske Nov. 22, 1955

